worldcurrencies

Cash rules for South Africa

Official currency ZAR

How much cash can you carry?

There is a ceiling here, not just paperwork. Bringing in is capped at ZAR 25,000; carrying more is prohibited rather than declarable. Taking out is capped at ZAR 25,000; you cannot declare your way past it.

Limits

Bringing cash in

max ZAR 25,000

Hard ceiling. Carrying more is prohibited, not declarable.

A per-person cap on banknotes, not a reporting threshold: visitors and residents may import or export SARB notes, or the notes of other Common Monetary Area countries, only up to R25,000. Foreign currency may be brought in in any amount, but total currency above R100,000 counts as excess currency and needs written Reserve Bank permission first.

Taking cash out

max ZAR 25,000

Hard ceiling. Carrying more is prohibited, not declarable.

The same R25,000 banknote cap applies on departure. Taking out more than R100,000 in total currency requires written permission from the South African Reserve Bank, obtained before you travel.

How to declare

Use the Traveller Declaration (TD-01), or the online traveller declaration.

Specific routes

Sources: rules as of 22 September 2026. General information, not legal advice; check the official authority before travelling.